The name 350.org comes the research of NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen. He wrote in a scientific paper in 2007 that the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere should not be higher than 350 parts-per-million (ppm). According to scientific research this is a safe maximum to avoid a climate tipping point.[5][6][7]

350.org is strongly against the Keystone XLpipeline project. The pipeline is currently being built to transport tar sandoil from Canada through the United States to oil refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. NASA climatologist James Hansen described the Keystone XL pipeline as "game over" for the planet, and called the amount of carbon stored in Canadian tar sands a "fuse to the largest carbon bomb on the planet".[14]

350.org wants colleges and universities, as well as cities, religious institutions, and pension funds to withdraw their investments from fossil fuel companies. They propose the money should rather be invested in sustainable companies.

"If it is wrong to wreck the climate, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage. We want institutions to immediately freeze any new investment in fossil fuel companies, and divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds within 5 years."